People 6 Monologue

Monologue

Write a monologue which shows a person in a difficult situation.  In some ways we can see her better than she can see herself.  But as yet we don’t know fully what the situation is. She is speaking to herself, but also gradually revealing what’s happened, happening, bit by bit.

A monologue is when one person tells a story, often as part of a play, or it can be a whole short play as in Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads.  Or it can be written down as a story or poem, or as your diary.    The term ‘talking heads’ was original tv jargon for too much talking on the screen, not enough action.

    In The Outside Dog   the speaker (played by Julie Walters) never quite lets us know what she’s thinking, and when she describes how she speaks to the police she always answers indirectly and slightly aggressively. But we begin to feel she’s being defence.   We can only suspect what’s happened, until right at the end when  her husband is arrested.

Write a monologue.  If you want to do something which would suit tv, you’ll need to spend some time describing what the view will see. what the speaker is doing as she speaks,  which way she is looking, or what sort of music is in the background.   Or You can do that simply by writing a piece of description, making it a story or poem.   

SHE PICKS UP A TEDDY FROM THE SOFA I don’t know what happened.  How do I know what happened?  How do  I  -  know – what -  happened!!!                             SHE THROWS THE TEDDY ON THE FLOOR AND STAMPS ON IT SEVERAL                            TIMES.                          SHE LOOKS OUT OF THE WINDOW.  NOW SHE’S IN TEARS I wish Al was here.  But Al’s . . .   Al’s. . .                            WE SEE THE TEDDY ON THE FLOOR, ARMS SPREAD OUT,  STUFFING                            COMING OUT OF IT